American Red Cross Announces New Leader for Biomedica...( WASHINGTON Jan. 8 -- The America...),Health

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross announced today that J. Chris Hrouda has been named to the position of Executive Vice President for the organization's Biomedical Services.

Hrouda will oversee one of the nation's largest blood collection organizations. Each year the American Red Cross collects approximately 6.5 million units of blood and distributes around 9.5 million blood products to patients at approximately 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country. This work is accomplished through the organization's national network, comprised of 9 divisions and 36 Blood Services regions.

Mr. Hrouda brings more than 19 years of Red Cross Blood Program experience to the position. He has served as Vice President of Biomedical Services' Southeast Division since 2004. In this position, Hrouda oversaw operations in five blood regions in Birmingham, AL; Columbia, SC; Douglasville, GA; Charlotte, NC; and Puerto Rico, which collect about one million blood donations yearly. Prior to assuming the vice president's position, Mr. Hrouda held the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Southern Region, Douglasville, GA, and Chief Executive Officer of the Heart of American Region in Peoria, IL. Under his leadership, the division and regions have consistently performed at a high level in relation to collections and business performance.

He began his career with Biomedical Services in 1988 as a medical technologist with the University of Missouri Hospital & Clinics, Missouri-Illinois Region. He also served as Manager of Manufacturing and Hospital Services, Director of Donor Services, and Director of Sales and Hospital Services for the same region. Mr. Hrouda graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1987, receiving a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree and being named Valedictorian of the Medical Technology Program. He is a certified medical technologist with the American Soci
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